Okay, I need say something. This story was initially inspired by the fan-made song "The Lunar Pirate" by Carbon Maestro. If you guys haven't heard it yet, look it up on YouTube. Carbon makes awesome songs based on MLP. Trust me. It's more than worth a look. Also, I realize that this chapter is fairly short. Sorry about that. I got all that I thought would be necessary for this particular part of the story. Enjoy.

Their swords clashed as they dueled, sparks flying from the clanging steel, lightning flashing blindingly around them. The two captains gritted their teeth as they struggled against each other, neither gaining the upper hoof. The second captain, murder in his eyes, swung his blade low at his nemesis's hooves in an attempt to trip her.

She smirked and hopped forward over the attack, using the momentum of her leap to land a brutal punch in her opponent's face. The enraged captain staggered back and glared at her.

"I will have your head, scum!" he roared in a mindless fury.

"You'll have to try harder than that, mister," she replied with a cocky grin, readying her sword. "You can't work halfway trying to beat me!"

"Princess Luna!" a guard called from outside Luna's door, startling her back to reality. "Princess Celestia requires your presence in the throne room."

The Princess of the Night sighed. "Very well. I shall be there momentarily." The guard announced his acknowledgement and left to inform Celestia. Luna looked down at the small stack of paper that she had created. Sighing again, she set down her quill by the stack and left her desk. She then left her chamber and headed for the throne room, where her sister, along with Princess Cadance and Shining Armor and the Mane 6, were waiting. There was also a ship captain. He didn't look very pleased.

"Good timing, Luna," Celestia said with her usual cheerful grin. Luna nodded in response and took her place at her sibling's right side. "Now that my sister is here, we can begin properly. Captain Portside, if you would be so kind as to explain what happened…"

"Of course, Your Highness," the sky captain said with a courteous bow of his head. "My ship, the Sun's Blessing, was attacked by that pirate band that's been running amok in Equestria's skies lately. They made off with all of the gemstones that were to be delivered here from the Crystal Empire, then they disappeared."

"Just like every other reported attack," Twilight Sparkle observed. "They strike fast and leave just as quickly."

"They're a tricky bunch," said Shining Armor with a nod. "We didn't even know that they had some of their pegasi breaching the ship's hull. Their captain was also considerably skilled with a sword."

"You met their captain?" Luna inquired.

"Yes. A unicorn mare. We couldn't get a clear look at her, but she called herself Raven Blackmane, and she identified her ship as the Queen Nocturne."

The night princess's eyes widened ever so slightly at this. Nopony even noticed the tiny movement of her brow.

Celestia thought heavily on this. "It isn't much," she said, "but this is more information than anyone else has been able to give us. We will need to find this Raven Blackmane soon. All of Equestria's trading routes are vulnerable as long as she and her crew are unaccounted for."

"Why don't you just set up a bunch of guards at the routes?" Rainbow Dash suggested.

Cadance shook her head. "That wouldn't work. These pirates are highly unpredictable. All we know about them for certain is that strike at night. Add the fact that there are hundreds of trade routes in Equestria – land, sea, and air – and setting up guards would only waste precious resources that Equestria is gradually losing."

Twilight thought on that for a few moments. "We'll need to lure them out then," she said as a plan began to form in her head. "We could leak information that a ship is leaving Canterlot to go to another nation to trade. But it won't have anything on it."

"We bait 'em out," Applejack summarized. Twilight nodded. "Well, what're we waitin' for? Let's get to it!"

"Hold on there, lass!" Captain Portside interrupted. "These aren't typical thugs that we're dealing with. These pirates will surely kill you if you get in their way."

"That doesn't sound very nice," Pinkie Pie stated rather obliviously.

Portside scowled at the pink mare. "And that's why it wouldn't do to have mares like yourselves running about on my ship. You'd get yourselves hurt, or worse."

"Excuse me," Rarity said as politely as possible, "but isn't it true that it was a mare who trounced you and your crew?" Portside hesitated to answer. "And isn't it true that not one, three princesses are in agreement that we should be present to tend to the situation? And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't one of those princesses going to attend our little gambit with this bait trap?"

The sky captain could only sneer in response. He couldn't deny the mare's arguments. He scoffed and turned. "Fine," he said. "Know this: once we have Blackmane, I'll be the one to finish her off." With that said, he left the throne room, mumbling something about mares being trouble.

"Geez," Rainbow muttered. "What's that guy's problem?"

"Captain Portside is very set in his own ways," Celestia explained. "He personally doesn't believe that a mare could match a stallion in quite a few things unless they were alicorns."

Twilight sighed at that. "Well, this'll certainly be interesting. My friends and me teaming up with a sexist sky captain. Fun."

"How's that gonna be fun?" Pinkie asked, earning an irritated groan from her friends. "What?"

-o-

Portside grumbled to himself as he trotted angrily down the halls of Canterlot Castle, fuming at everything he had just learned. Mares on his ship? And teenagers, no less? This was absolutely unacceptable! They had no place on his vessel! They didn't have the skills, talent, or anything close to the experience needed to work productively on his ship! But he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. The princesses had made their decision.

To Tartarus with them! he cursed. This is a stallion's job! "Idiotic, that's what this is."

It is rather foolish, now isn't it? Portside jumped at the sudden voice. He gave the hall he was in a scanning sweep. He was completely alone. He could've sworn he just heard an old mare's voice just now.

"Who's there!?" he demanded. "Show yourself!"

That voice chuckled, almost as if it was amused. Don't get your tail in a knot, the voice said. I'm no threat to you. I'm merely talking to you so that I can strike a deal with you.

"A deal?" Portside asked.

We both share a common enemy, you see. The pirate who humiliated you.

"Blackmane…" The captain trailed off. He narrowed his eyes. "I'm listening."

The mare's voice chuckled again. I knew you would, Captain.